Radiant Dragon’s Otherworldly Reincarnation

Chapter 24. I Have Grown Stronger. (1)

The Schneider fiefdom without Patrick.

There, the soldiers were diligently performing the training Patrick had ordered.

“Dammit, what good is this supposed to do?”

“It's not like it's a real social dance…”

Well, they were full of complaints.

Patrick had instructed the soldiers to consistently practice the Five Elements Steps along with the basic training of Horse Stance while he was away.

The soldiers did as they were told, but they couldn't shake the suspicion of, ‘What is the point of this?’

Of course, that didn't mean they didn't do it.

Patrick had given the order, and the senior soldiers, including Sanson, were supervising, so they diligently practiced moving according to the footwork.

However, the effectiveness of training varies greatly depending on one's mindset.

The number of those who approached the training while grumbling with disbelief in the effectiveness of the footwork gradually increased, and they simply tried to complete the number of repetitions of the footwork quickly and then swing their swords in the remaining time.

They had judged that to be more helpful.

“Alright. A hundred times done.”

“Now I should swing my sword a bit.”

“At least the Horse Stance is a workout. I don't know why we're doing this.”

“That's what I'm saying.”

The soldiers half-heartedly completed their footwork training repetitions and then swung their swords on their own.

Watching them, Sanson frowned.

‘What should I do about this? If the Young Master sees…’

[Hooo, you did your training sloppily?]

Just imagining it was terrifying.

Sanson, who shivered, wanted to somehow get the soldiers' minds back on track, but he couldn't find a way.

‘I have no choice. For now, I'll just have to work hard myself.’

Sanson focused his mind and devoted himself to the training Patrick had ordered, stepping through the footwork with the most accurate posture possible.

After the morning training was over.

The soldiers had to patrol the fief again.

The youngest, Brian, was diligently patrolling and dealing with the monsters on the outskirts.

It's true that if a person doesn't want to die, they'll do whatever it takes, and looking at Brian's actions these days, he looked like a loyal knight doing his best to protect the fief.

Of course, behind that….

[If even a single hair on a fief resident is harmed, it's your responsibility, youngest. Got it?]

There was Patrick, who had nonchalantly threatened him before leaving.

As a result, Brian was diligently patrolling the fief, even sacrificing his sleeping time.

Thanks to that….

“Captain Sanson. The patrols have been much easier these days, haven't they?”

“They have. The frequency of monsters causing problems has dropped significantly.”

At Sanson's words, Oliver, who was patrolling with him, smiled and said.

“This is all thanks to the Young Master. I can actually understand why the fief residents are grateful to him.”

“And you're not grateful?”

“No, I am grateful. I am, but…”

Had Patrick really done that much?

He exposed the embezzlement of the knight Brian and normalized their salaries, taught them Aura Blessing, and while they were struggling with training, he went around the fief and wiped out all the monsters.

It was only natural to feel gratitude towards such a Patrick.

It should be, but….

“To just be grateful, the grinding during training time is a bit…”

“Ah, I understand that.”

“Honestly, tell the fief residents to get ground down just like us. Can they really be unconditionally grateful?”

It was an ungrateful but true statement.

The training Patrick ordered pushed them to their limits that much.

“Still, if we continue this training, won't we be able to become as strong as the Young Master? Then we should be grateful.”

“Actually, that's why there are some guys with complaints these days.”

“What do you mean?”

As Sanson glared sharply, Oliver waved his hands hastily and said.

“No, I'm not saying I am. It's not that I am, but…”

“Speak. What complaints are there?”

“Even though it's training taught by Young Master Patrick, it's just the leg-training Horse Stance, Aura Blessing, and those weird steps, isn't it?”

“We spar too, don't we?”

“It's shameless to call that sparring.”

Indeed, it was structured more like a one-sided beatdown than sparring.

“Ahem, in any case, it's a fact that the Young Master is leagues stronger than us. You know how valuable the teachings of a strong person are, don't you?”

“I know. In fact, the other guys know too. Just Aura Blessing alone is a huge deal. But... the Young Master's teachings are quite peculiar, aren't they?”

“……”

“We can understand up to the Horse Stance. But those weird steps he taught us before he left. There aren't many who think that will really be helpful. There are guys who think that if they fight like that in a real battle, their feet will get tangled and they'll fall over. Not me, but other guys.”

Oliver hastily changed his words because Sanson's expression had hardened to a serious degree.

“They've all grown some nerve.”

“No, from the kids' perspective…”

“Now that you've learned Aura Blessing and there are no knights in the fief, do you feel like you've become someone great? Do you think you'll be able to draw an aura from your sword within the year?”

“……”

“The Young Master said it. He would make us knights. Yet, those who wish to become knights have no loyalty to their lord, and instead, they mouth off with complaints?”

“……”

“Who are they? Those ungrateful pieces of trash!”

Seeing the genuinely enraged Sanson, Oliver spoke cautiously.

“Captain. Please calm down. Once the Young Master comes…”

It was then.

Suddenly, the bell signaling an emergency rang from the outskirts of the fief.

“This is?”

“An emergency situation?”

Sanson and Oliver quickly ran to the scene.

For the past few weeks, the Schneider fiefdom had been peaceful.

Patrick had wiped out most of the large-sized monsters, and Brian was dealing with the small-sized ones as soon as he saw them.

But that state of affairs wouldn't continue forever.

The fact that all the large monsters had been dealt with meant that a temporary vacuum had been created at the top of this region's ecosystem.

Naturally, there were bound to be monsters from other areas coming in to claim that spot.

And such monsters had now set foot in the Schneider fiefdom.

“Dammit, it's a troll.”

Sanson, who arrived at the scene, ground his teeth at the sight of a troll pounding on the outer stockade.

Seeing that it was acting alone and not in a group, it was likely an outcast from its pack.

Trolls usually moved in groups of two or three, but old and weak individuals were driven out of the pack.

That would mean this was a weaker individual among trolls, but….

“Kwoooarrr!”

“Uwaaah!”

“Block it! The stockade can't fall.”

Watching the stockade shake as if it would fall every time it was pounded by both arms….

“Dammit, even a weak troll is still a troll.”

In the end, it was a large-sized monster.

To ordinary people, there was not much difference.

Sanson said to Oliver next to him.

“Oliver.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Take the soldiers and bring the troll-fighting equipment immediately.”

Long spears, steel nets, and crossbows that could pierce a troll's hide, oil, fire arrows, and so on.

Even before Patrick had stepped to the front lines, such equipment was essential for the soldiers of the Schneider fiefdom to deal with trolls.

“Understood. What will you do, Captain?”

“I will…”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

“Uwaaaaaah!”

“Hold on! Hold on!”

“If this thing collapses, we're all dead!”

Sanson looked at the men who were barely supporting the stockade that looked like it would collapse at any moment, hardened his resolve, and said.

“I'll buy some time.”

“Yes? What... Huh? Captain. Captain Sanson!”

Before Oliver could stop him, Sanson opened a small side gate and ran out of the stockade.

Then he drew his sword and shouted at the top of his lungs at the troll.

“Over here, you ugly monster!”

-Krrrrrr….

The troll glanced at Sanson, who was shouting at it, then ignored him and went back to pounding the stockade in front of it.

Thud! Thud! Kwaang!

Crack. Crunch!

Although it was a sturdy stockade made of solid logs driven deep into the ground, it was still difficult to continuously block a troll.

The sound of wood breaking and splintering was heard, and the men who were desperately supporting the stockade from inside screamed.

“I said over here, you bastard!”

Sanson ran at the troll and swung his longsword quickly.

Chwaaak!

-Kwoooarrr!

Sanson's strike cut through the troll's hide and injured the muscle underneath to some extent.

The troll screamed in pain, and Sanson….

“Huh?”

Was flustered.

In fact, Sanson had attacked the troll to draw its attention; he had never thought his attack would actually work on it.

A troll's hide is tough and durable.

For an ordinary person like himself to pierce a troll's hide, he had to use a thrust, not a slash.

And it had to be a do-or-die thrust, putting all his body weight into a charge.

But now, a slash he had swung lightly for diversion had left a rather deep wound on the troll's body.

“This works?”

To the surprised Sanson, the troll….

-Kwoooarrr!

Roared, expressing its undiluted rage.

“Uht…”

For a moment, Sanson unknowingly took a step back.

This wasn't his first time facing a troll.

It was a monster he had faced several times with his comrades.

But when he faced a troll, his comrades were with him.

He had comrades by his side to check it with long spears, and support from behind who would throw steel nets to restrict the troll's movements.

In the midst of such support, he had fought by stabbing the troll, pouring oil, and setting it on fire.

But it was different now.

All Sanson had in his hand now was a single longsword.

He had to face the troll with just this one thing.

Like a protagonist in a story.

“Ha… haha.”

The only thought that came to mind was, ‘I must be crazy.’

The troll charged at Sanson without hesitation.

“Kwoooarr.”

It didn't have a weapon in its hand, but the troll's giant fist had enough power to turn Sanson into minced meat.

That fist fell upon Sanson like a hammer.

Kuuung!

“Brotheeeer!”

Oliver, who had hurriedly followed him out of the stockade, shouted urgently upon seeing the scene.

In Oliver's eyes, it looked as if Sanson had been directly hit by the troll's blow and crushed.

But….

“Haap!”

A powerful kiai(Loud, explosive shout) from Sanson was heard through the thick dust.

And the ensuing scream from the troll was proof that Sanson had cut the troll somewhere.

“Brother Sanson?”

And Oliver saw it.

Sanson, who had dodged the troll's fist, had instead powerfully slashed the troll's knee.

And that wasn't all.

-Kwooong!

As the troll swung its arm in a wide horizontal arc, Sanson retreated to dodge, then immediately advanced again and thrust his longsword into the troll's leg.

-Keoheoong!

The troll's painful groan echoed once more.

And the counterattack that followed.

Sanson dodging it and the longsword swinging again.

Right now, before Oliver's eyes, Sanson was fighting on equal footing with the troll.

“N-…no way.”

Oliver's jaw dropped as he watched the scene.

‘It's working. It's working.’

Sanson was intoxicated by a strange feeling, a mix of bewilderment and a pounding heart.

The first time the troll's attack fell upon his head.

Without even realizing it, the footwork he had been practicing so hard unfolded.

He had just intended to dodge by throwing his body to the side, but before that, he had dodged the troll's attack by executing the footwork that his body had diligently learned.

And immediately after dodging, he realized something.

‘Huh? This is…’

The troll's balance was broken right after its attack, but he had maintained his center and only changed his position.

So this was….

‘An opportunity?’

Simultaneously with that thought, Sanson's body stabbed the side of the troll, which was defenselessly exposed.

“Haap!”

With a ‘thud!’ sensation of the blade going in, he heard the ferocious troll's painful shriek.

Hearing that sound, Sanson became even more certain.

“It's working. This is working.”

The Aura Blessing he had been consistently practicing was spreading vitality throughout Sanson's entire body.

The lower body, strengthened by the Horse Stance, allowed him to put more natural power into his sword.

The well-practiced footwork of the Five Elements Steps was protecting Sanson's body from the troll's rough and violent attacks.

“Ha… hahaha.”

Sanson laughed.

He was fighting alone against a troll that his former self would not have dared to face.

What did this mean?

‘I have grown stronger.’

The sweat and effort he had poured in were showing clear results.

The sense of accomplishment from his efforts being rewarded and the sense of victory from pushing back a formidable enemy he couldn't have dreamed of facing in the past.

These feelings were welling up from deep within his chest, creating an indescribable emotion.

So much so that the corners of his raised mouth wouldn't come down.